Public Statements

Statement

As New Yorkers and people across America hold May Day demonstrations, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement deploring Arizona's discriminatory immigration law:

"I stand with thousands of marchers across the country today who are expressing their outrage over the abhorrent law passed in the state of Arizona.

"America, and particularly New York, was built by the contributions of immigrants, and our diversity only adds to the greatness of this country. I think that we must take action on balanced, comprehensive immigration reform that treats immigrants with dignity. Arizona's harsh and unreasonable law seeks to criminalize undocumented immigrants and to turn local police forces into immigration enforcement agencies. This abhorrent law undermines basic civil rights by inviting profiling of both lawful immigrants and U.S. citizens. It is a step in the wrong direction for our nation and is yet another example of why we need a federal solution for our broken immigration system.

"I am committed to working with my colleagues to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill that treats immigrants fairly, gives them a path to earned citizenship, and improves border security."